Mr. Lautenberg submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on the
Judiciary

February 14, 2013

Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed
to

RESOLUTION

Designating February 14, 2013, as
National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient
Care.

Whereas the National Solidarity Day for Compassionate
Patient Care promotes national awareness of the importance of compassionate and
respectful relationships between health care professionals and their patients
as reflected in attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, cultural,
and ethnic backgrounds of patients and families;

Whereas individuals and groups of medical professionals
and students stand in solidarity to support compassion in health care as
expressed by Dr. Randall Friese, triage physician at the University of Arizona
Medical Center who, when queried, stated that the most important treatment he
provided to Congress member Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot on January 8,
2011, was to hold her hand and reassure her that she was in the hospital and
would be cared for;

Whereas physicians, nurses, all other health care
professionals, and medical facilities are charged with providing both the art
and science of medicine;

Whereas a greater awareness of the importance of
compassion in health care encourages health care professionals to be mindful of
the need to treat the patient rather than the disease;

Whereas scientific research illustrates that when health
care professionals practice humanistically; demonstrating the qualities of
integrity, excellence, compassion, altruism, respect, empathy, and service,
their patients have better medical outcomes; and

Whereas February 14th would be an appropriate day to
designate as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient Care and to
celebrate it by health care students and professionals performing humanistic
acts of compassion and kindness toward patients, families of patients, and
health care colleagues: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—

(1)

designates
February 14, 2013, as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient
Care;

(2)

recognizes the
importance and value of a respectful relationship between health care
professionals and their patients as a means of promoting better health
outcomes; and

(3)

encourages all
health care professionals to be mindful of the importance of both—